Overview
Jonathan Elifson has over a decade of labor and employment law experience with an emphasis on traditional labor matters under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Jonathan litigates employment cases under various state and federal statues, including Title VII, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and The Texas Commission on Human Rights Act. He is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Jonathan is among the few contemporary attorneys to have dedicated significant attention to understanding the nuances associated with the RLA, a federal law that governs labor relations in both the railroad and airline industries. Though often conflated with the NLRA, the RLA is unique and specifies complex procedures governing collective bargaining and dispute resolution via arbitration proceedings. Jonathan has participated in litigation alleging major disputes under the RLA . His experience in connection with RLA arbitrations is broad, encompassing issues concerning highly technical provisions under collectively bargained agreements and “just cause” terminations and discipline. Jonathan has also served as a system board member in high-stakes, systemwide airline arbitrations concerning contract interpretation. The railroad and airline industries serve critical functions within the U.S. economy, and operational disruptions can have catastrophic effects on businesses and individuals alike. Jonathan is sensitive to this threat and works to engineer solutions that meet that needs of both a diverse workforce and economically strategic transportation businesses.
Prior to joining Fisher Phillips, Jonathan was the Assistant Attorney General for the Transportation Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas where he managed the Division’s employment litigation matters. He served as counsel for cases involving discrimination and premises liability and worked on employment policies and case handling strategies. He was previously a senior attorney for the National Labor Relations Board. Jonathan teaches a course on the RLA at SMU Dedman School of Law and has been a senior editor of The Railway Labor Act since 2017.
Jonathan is a frequent speaker on NLRA and RLA-related topics at various conferences, such as the American Law Institute and the Center for American and International Law.